1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to articles of clothing comprising an apparatus for providing cooling air to the wearer thereof and in particular to a bulletproof vest and a detachable air conditioning apparatus for use therewith.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In certain occupations and activities special clothing is required to be worn to protect the wearer thereof from environmental, hazardous and other conditions. In order to provide the required protection, the special clothing frequently comprises non-porous material or is fabricated in such a manner that the wearer thereof is made uncomfortably warm while wearing it, especially in the summer.
To eliminate or reduce the discomfort suffered by the wearers of protective garments as described above, various means and methods have been proposed. For example, protective suits, coats and vests have been proposed comprising air or fluid passageways located between the inner and outer fabric layers thereof. A source of cooling air or fluid is introduced into the passageways and, in the case of air, passes via holes provided therein for cooling the wearer. Examples of such clothing are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,558,466, issued to J. A. Kristensson; 4,691,762, issued to W. Elkins, et al; 4,738,119, issued to P. R. Zafred; 4,146,933, issued to Jenkins et al; and 3,468,299, issued to C. D'Amato.
In cases in which a person wearing some sort of outer garment requires cooling but the garment itself does not include a cooling apparatus, cooling air has been provided by means of a separate assembly which is worn beneath the outer clothing. Such assemblies, for example, comprise a plurality of tubular members which are suspended beneath the outer clothing from a wearer's shoulders and/or waist as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,194,247, issued to C. Melander; 3,468,299, issued to C. D'Amato; 3,804,086, issued to B. F. Agnew; and 4,162,764, issued to R. K. Millsap.
The apparatus used for providing the cooling air or fluid to the garments and/or the tubular assemblies as disclosed in the above-listed patents has typically comprised a portable blower or pump or a stationary source of cooling air or fluid which is coupled thereto by a long umbilical-like tube or pipe. Generally, no means is provided for automatically disconnecting the source from the garment or other cooling assembly and the connecting tube or pipe must be manually disconnected if the wearer thereof leaves the vicinity of the cooling air source. Moreover, all of the prior known personal cooling apparatus generally requires a specially constructed source of cooling air.
Police officers and other persons who are required to wear bulletproof vests frequently find them to be quite warm and uncomfortable, especially while riding in a vehicle or on a motorcycle during hot weather. In order to provide cooling for such vests, however, certain requirements must be met. For example, in an emergency, the officer must be free to exit the vehicle or dismount from the motorcycle without any delay caused by being coupled to a source of cooling air or fluid and, as a practical matter, the cooling apparatus should be detachable from the vest when no longer required or when the vest needs cleaning or repair. Moreover, the cooling apparatus should be lightweight and constructed in such a manner that it permits unrestricted movement and cannot be readily grasped by a person being apprehended.